This invention relates to a support device for a satellite TV dish. More particularly, it refers to a device supporting a satellite TV dish having a movable component to permit ingress and egress of a satellite TV dish from an operating condition outside a window to a standby storage condition in a room inside the window.
Antenna brackets for mounting TV antennas to a building are well known as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,181,284; 4,994,816; 5,647,567; and 6,195,066. These are all permanently mounted to a building structure and cannot be movably retracted inside the building. In many condominiums, apartment complexes and deed restricted communities there are regulations prohibiting the permanent mounting of satellite TV dishes outside a building. Since satellite dishes require line of sight reception, such regulations could prevent satellite dish owners from using satellite TV reception systems. If satellite TV dishes are to be used in deed restricted communities, a means is needed to retract satellite dishes when not in use. An attempt to provide such means is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,913. However, the support bracket for the satellite dish is mounted outside a building on a balcony side wall. Even though not an exterior main wall of the building, it is still required on an exterior side wall. Accordingly, a mounting bracket is still visible outside the inner space of the building. Such an arrangement is prohibited by regulations in many deed restricted condominiums and housing communities. A system is sorely needed for mounting a satellite dish inside a room of a building with capability of movably projecting the satellite dish outside a window of the building.
The above problem has been solved by the apparatus employed in this invention. The satellite dish support device of this invention is mounted on a wall bracket below a window in a room of a building. The wall bracket supports a housing containing a movable platform that mounts the satellite dish distal from the housing when the satellite dish is in use. The platform is moved from the housing outwardly by multiple telescoping slide rails. In this manner, the satellite dish is stored inside a room adjacent a window when not in use. The satellite dish in use is slid outwardly through an open window by extending the slide rails from inside the housing. The satellite dish is adjusted in an angle of reception by the manner of positioning the support base for the satellite dish on the movable platform and by adjusting a pivot point on a satellite stem supporting the satellite dish above its support base.